Flexible shaft.



. 1-;'0.'s4,'6 24, PATENTBD AUG. 27-, 1907.

w. H. DOUGLAS. FLEXIBLE SHAFT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.26,1908.

WITNESSES f INVENTOR.

g me inon.

WILLIAM RY DOUGLAS, OF BELLEVILLE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HEALEY & 00., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., .A. CORPORATION rnnxmnn slim.-

Specification of Letters Patent.-

. resente Aug. 27, 1907.

Applicationfiled September 26, 1906. Serial No. 336 ,255.

'To all whom it may concern:

" Be it known that I, WILLIAM'HENRY Douoms, a citiinvented a new and Improved Flexible' Shaft, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved flexible shaft which is simple-and durable in construction, and arranged to readily flex in any '10 desired direction. without undue binding orstra ining of the parts or loss of the power'to be transmitted.

i The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of thesame, whichwill be more fully described hereinafter. and then pointed out in the claims I l A practical embodiment of the invention is represent .ed in the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification, in which similar Characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views. Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement as applied; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the improvement; Fig.3 is a transverse section of Fig. 2 on the line 3-3, partsthereof-being removed. Fig. 4 is a reduced plan view of oneof the knuckles,

' and Fig. 5 is a face view of the same. r

' The flexible shaft consists essentially of aplurality oi knuckles A, preferably made in'ring shape, and each provided with sets 'of integral lugs A"an'd A projectin longitudinally in the same direction and standing at right .30 angles to each other, the lugs in'both sets being arranged I diametrically opposite, each other, and the inner'iaces of the lugs A being spaced apart a distance corresponding approximately to the distance between the outer faces of the lugs A so that the lugs A of onc'knucklc lit under and register with the lugs A of an adjacent knuckle, as willbe readily understood by reference to Figs. 1 and 2. The lugs A extend integrally from the peripheral face of the knuckle while the lugs A extend integrally from the face thereof (see Figs. 4 and'5), so

40 that practically the lugs A. are outermost relative to the innermost lugs A o 1 i The lugs A of a knuckle are mounted to swing on a pivot pin B secured atits ends in the lugs A of the adjaccnt knuckle. Thepivot pins B extend diametrically of the. knuckles and the pivot pin B of a knuckle is located in a plane at a right angle'to the plancs'contain 'ing thelugs A of the same knuckle. By the construc- Lion described a series of connected universal joints are produced, of which a single knuckle is common to two successive joints.

The pivot pin B is preferably made tubular, to permit or conveniently beading up the terminals thereof on the corresponding lugs A, with a view to hold the parts in tube' D of leather, rubber or other similar material.

machinery.

and desire to secure by Letters'Patent;

place and allow convenient turning of the lugs A of '55 knuckle. The faces of the knuckles are preferably I one knuckle A on the-pivot pin B of the next adjacent roundcd o ff or made spherical to allow turning adjacent knucklesto as great an angular position relative toeach othermpossible. The connected knuckles arefsufrounded by a spiral spring Gytvhich ispreferably screwed onto the knuckles A by engaging the.convolutions of the spring with the spiral screws formed on the exterior surface 01' theknuckles, and this spiral spring G is incased in a flexible The spring serves to hold the knuckles normally in'a straight line position} but allows the knuckles to turn one relative to the other when. bending the ficxiblc shaft. v

If desired. the spring C can be placed inside of the flexible shaft and in this case the pivots do not extend through a knuckle. i

As shown in Fig. 1 the flexible shaft is connected with a motor E for-transmitting the power thereof to other The flexible shaft shown and described is very simple and durable in construction, and is capable of flexing ina'ny desireddirection withoutundue binding or straining of the parts, and practically without lossof the power to be transmitted.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new 1. A flexible shaft, comprising a plurality of knuckles,

'each having-sets of rigid lugs extending longitudinally from. one face of-h knuckle. and diametrically extending pivots encll held in one set of lugs and engaged by a set of lugs of the adjacent knuckle -the outer taceof said knuckles being screw in the threads.

threaded and aspirnl spring resting 2. Ailexible shaft, comprising a pluynlity of. ring-shaped knuckles each having sets of'rlgid lugs extending longi tudinally on one face of a knuckle and at right angles one set to the other, and a diametrically extending pivot held in one set of lugs and pivotally engaged by a set of lugs of the adjacent knuckle, each pivot pin being tubular, and-'hnving its'ends beaded in the'outermost lugs of a knuckle.

1 3.'A flexible shaft, comprising a plurality of knucklcs,

caclrlmving sets of rigid lugs extending longitudinally from one files of the knuckle, diametrically extending pivots each held in one setof lugs and engaged by a set of lugs of the adjacent knuckle, a spiral spring surrounding the knuckles, said knuckles being threaded to receive the spring. and a'flexible tube inclosing the said spiral spring.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesscsf winLrsmnnnnsr DOUGLAS.

Witnesses 

